The Obama administration has endured a number of low points over the last five-and-a-half years. Perhaps none of them, however, compares with the ongoing troubles with Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities in Phoenix and elsewhere, comedian Stephen Colbert suggested last night on his Comedy Central show. In Phoenix, news outlets revealed that officials concocted fake waiting lists so as to paper over delays, and up to 40 veterans have died awaiting care.
Colbert highlighted a Bush administration memo that warned the Obama people of issues with the VA, leading Colbert to this moment: “These veterans are suffering under Obama’s watch after he declared them a top priority and his team had been alerted to misconduct. Do you know what that means? It means we finally have a real scandal. A real scandal!…Wooo! Wooo!” thundered the host.
“Folks, I have waited so long. I know I’ve cried wolf before, what with Benghazi and the IRS, and the AP and Fast and Furious and Solyndra and Obama’s uncle and Obama’s aunt and Obama’s birth certificate….But this one is different. It’s backed up by eyewitnesses and documents and the betrayal of sick veterans. It’s like Christmas morning.”
Colbert’s delight, of course, was tongue-in-cheek, as always. The scandal’s realness, however, is quite clear upon surveying the news coverage. Outlets aren’t too hesitant to apply the “S” word to this one.
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